Cigarette and wrapper therefor



9, 1961 w. R. LAMM 2,998,012

CIGARETTE AND WRAPPER THEREFOR Filed Jan. 25, 1957 IN V EN TOR.

m'Zh'a/n R. lam/71,

United States Patent 2,998,012 CIGARETTE AND WRAPPER THEREFOR William R. Lamm, St. Marys University, San Antonio 1, Tex. Filed Jan. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 635,866 2 Claims. (Cl. 131-15) This invention relates to smoking articles such as cigarettes, and more particularly to the wrappers thereof and to wrapper materials for such articles.

The present application is a continuation in part of my copending applications Serial No. 467,925, filed November 10, 1954, now Patent No. 2,890,704, and entitled Cigarette, and Serial No.'570,655, filed March 9,

1956, and entitled Cigarette and Wrapper Therefor.

The aforesaid patent and application set forth an improved cigarette and wrapper therefor, wherein the wrapper is constituted of fibrous material composed of glass, such fibrous material being interwoven in the nature of a very thin, tight-woven fabric. With such organization the wrapper is non-combustible and retains its form during the smoking of the cigarette and after the discarding of the same. Thus there is greatly minimized the likelihood of fire occurring. In my Patent No. 2,890,704 the interwoven wrapper formed of glass fibers was made air tight by the use of a vegetable gum, such as gum tragacanth, and the wrapper looked very much like paper, having a thickness in the neighborhood of .003 inch.

In my later-filed copending application mentioned above I revealed an improved wrapper material wherein there was additionally contained an advantageous adhesive substance together with a softening agent and still another substance by which the wrapper was made more air tight and prevented from discoloring during smoking of the cigarette. The said softening agent enabled the wrapper material to retain its original pliability even after the cigarette was smoked. By the incorporation of these sub stances my novel wrapper was provided with improved properties, and I have now further improved the wrapper, to enable it to have still more advantageous properties.

One object of my present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved cigarette wrapper constituted of woven glass fibers, wherein the flexibility is still further increased, to the extent that the wrapper material may be utilized by a standard fabricating machine of the type employed in the manufacture of cigarettes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wrapping material for a cigarette, by which the rapper when constituting a part of the cigarette will remain flexible not only while the cigarette is being smoked, but also after completion of the smoking therof.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of an improved flexible wrapping material as above set forth, which when it is constituted as the wrapper in a cigarette, may be easily disposed of after the smoking of the cigarette due to the retention of its soft and pliable qualities, such wrapper being capable of disintegration upon being crushed or pressed together.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved wrapper which has the above characteristics while still remaining non-flammable and retaining its shape during the smoking of the cigarette.

My improved wrapper, as with the wrapper of my above mentioned patent and copending application, prevents ashes and sparks from falling off the cigarette, reduces the fire hazard, and eliminates the exposing of live coals or glowing masses. Moreover, my improved wrapper having all of the above advantages, will still take glue and will cut readily on a standard machine, and will not crack or break apart as the machine is run. It will furthermore leave no discernible taste or odor which is foreign to burning tobacco, and will have no discolorar6 Ice 2,998,012

will burn steadily, even though it is not puffed on.

An important feature of the invention resides in the. provision of an improved wrapper as above characterized,-

wherein the wrapper material may be cut in any direction and at any point, and wherein the wrapper will not fray Thus it can be readily cut.

or unravel upon being cut. into strips or ribbons, and uniformly trimmed for length, as required for the various sizes of cigarettes.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved wrapper material in accordance with the foregoing, which will not burst into flame, or create smoke while the cigarette is being consumed and which will not in any way be injurious to the health.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts whereever possible in the several views, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a cigarette made in accordance with the present invention and being held in the mouth of:-

a smoker, a portion of the cigarette being broken away to reveal the interior.

FIGURE 2 is an axial sectional view, enlarged, of the cigarette of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view of a piece of wrapping material made in accordance with the invention, showing the im-v pregnant substance applied to the paper-like structure,-

impart desirable properties thereto.

As shown in the. figures, a cigarette employing the im proved wrapper of the present invention is indicated at 10, such cigarette being shown as held in the mouth 11 of a user. The cigarette 10 comprises a roll of tobacco 12 shaped to have a pencil-like form, said roll being retained in this shape by the wrapper 13. 14 indicates the ashes remaining after the tobacco has been consumed or burned, and 15 is intended to represent a coating or impregnant, by which the advantageous properties of the wrapper are obtained.

By the present invention the wrapper 10 is made to I have a woven or fabric-like structure, utilizing non-come bustible glass fibers, the said wrapper further having characteristic-s found especially desirable in conjunction with. cigarettes or similar smoking articles;

In accomplishing the above listed objects and features. of the invention, I incorporate in the woven fiber glass structure of the wrapper 13 certain ingredients or sub stances, thereby to obtain a resultant novel product having characteristics, heretofore unknown in cigarette wr pp rs.

I have disclosed, in my prior-filed patent andcopending application, the use of a vegetable gum such as gum tragacanth to render the woven wrapper structure air tight or impervious to air, and have further disclosed the use of an adhesive such as sodium silicate (water glass) for preventing fraying and unraveling, the use of magnesium carbonate to reduce discoloration, and the use of glycerin to preserve pliability.

By my present invention I provide for use as an adhesive, sodium carboxymethycellulose, either in conjunction with or independently of the adhesive I have previously provided, namely gum tragacanth and sodium silicate, and have found that any viscosity or grade of carboxymethycellulose may be used, i.e. high, medium, low, extra low, etc. 13, for the purpose of preventing flaming thereof and preventing discoloration while at the same time imparting the color of ash after the cigarette has been consumed, the substance calcium carbonate. Moreover, in conjunction with the glycerin that I previously utilized, I now provide propylene glycol to constitute a plasticizer and pre- Patented Aug. 29, 1961 I now also provide in the wrapper vent the fiber glass fabric from becoming brittle when the cigarette is smoked. This plasticizer also renders the wrapper more flexible and pliable at all times.

In addition to the above I further provide in the wrap per 13 a diatomaceous earth, in conjunction with either calcium carbonate or the magnesium carbonatefor both;- for the purpose of rendering the wrapper more air tight, and keeping it cooler to the touch. The use of such diatomaceous earth also helps to prevent the cigarette from going out when it is not being puffed on. 1

I have found that the relative amounts of the above materials are not critical, and list herewith an example of a suitable impregnant, using such materials.

Gum tragacanth paste 80% by weight.

Magnesium carbonate or calcium carbonate or a mixture of these, taken with an equal amount of a diatomaceous earth, 122% by weight. r Sodium carboxymethycellulose either with or without sodium silicate in various proportions, 4% by weight Glycerin and propylene glycol mixed in substantially equal amounts, 4% by weight.

It will be understood that the above impregnant is given merely byway of example, and that the proportions are not to be considered as limiting, since variations are possible within the scope of the invention. f

I have found that-when a wrapper material having a thickness on the order of thin paper'and constituted'of fine woven glass fibers is impregnated with an impregnant as above set forth, numerous advantages will be obtained. The wrapper will be non-flammable and will retain its shape while the cigarette is being smoked. Therefore it will prevent ashes and sparks from being given 05, will contain the glowing portion of the tobacco, and will reduce the fire hazard. The wrapper, moreover, will have a white color, and will not appreciably discolor during the smoking of the cigarette, but merely turn a silver or gray. The cigarette will burn steadily even when not puffed, and the wrapper will at no time flame or produce imole. Moreover, it will in no way be injurious to the cal i Upon completion of smoking of the cigarette, thewrapper can be easily disposed of, since it remains soft and maybe readily disintegrated when crushed. During the smoking of the cigarette no discernible taste or odor foreign to burning tobacco will be detected at any time.

As concerns the use of the wrapping material in the fabrication of cigarettes, I have found that the wrapper Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a cigarette comprising a pencil of tobacco granules and means confining and shaping said pencil and holding the tobacco granules in assembled relation, said means comprising a wrapper I engaged with and surrounding the tobacco, said wrapper being constituted of a paper-like band having a thinness commensurate with tissue paper, the structure of said band consisting essentially of fine, tightly woven glass fibers, said band containing sodium carboxymethycellulose 'as an adhesive for securing together the glass fibers throughout the wrapper, thereby to provide firmness and prevent fraying at cut edges, containing calcium carbonate to prevent flaming, and, containing propylene glycol in conjunction with glycerin to preserve pliability especially when subjected to intense and sudden heat, as in the case of a burning cigarette.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a cigarette comprising a pencil of tobacco granules and means confining and shaping said pencil and holding the tobacco granules in assembled relation, said means comprising a Wrapper engaged with and surrounding the tobacco, said wrapper being constituted of a paper-like band having a thinness commensurate with tissue paper, the structure of said band consisting essentially of fine, tightly woven glass fibers, said band containing sodium carboxymethycellulose conjunction with glycerin to preserve pliability, especially will have a great deal of flexibility, so that it may be readily utilized on a standard cigarette making machine.

The wrapping material will take glue readily, will not crack or open up when being run on the'machine, and may be cut in any direction and at any point. Moreover, the fabric will not fray or unravel, and can be sliced into ribbons or strips and cut into uniform lengths, as required in existing manufacturing processes.

when subjected to intense and sudden heat, as in the case of a burning cigarette, and containing diatomaceous earth to render it cooler to the touch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED'STATES PATENTS 1,770,616 Kean July 15, 1930 2,471,116 Newber ger May 24, 1949 2,592,554 Frankenburg Apr. 15, 1952 2,613,672 Sartoretto Oct. 14, 1952 2,673,799 Schur Mar. 30, 1954 2,716,615 Voris Aug. 30, 1955 2,7 34,510 Hungerford Feb. 14, 1956 2,739,600 :Staib Mar. 27, 1956 2,769,734 Bandel Nov. 6, 1956 2,890,704 'L am m June 16, 1959 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 146,513 I Austria July 10, 1936 528,190 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1940 1,122,773 France May 28, 1956 

1. AS A NEW ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A CIGARETTE COMPRISING A PENCIL OF TOBACCO GRANULES AND MEANS CONFINING AND SHAPING SAID PENCIL AND HOLDING THE TOBACCO GRANULES IN ASSEMBLED RELATION, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A WRAPPER ENGAGED WITH AND SURROUNDING THE TOBACCO, SAID WRAPPER BEING CONSTITUTED OF A PAPER-LIKE BAND HAVING A THINNESS COMMENSURATE WITH TISSUE PAPER, THE STRUCTURE OF SAID BAND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF FINE, TIGHTLY WOVEN GLASS FIBERS, SAID BAND CONTAINING SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYCELLULOSE AS AN ADHESIVE FOR SECURING TOGETHER THE GLASS FIBERS THROUGHOUT THE WRAPPER, THEREBY TO PROVIDE FIRMNESS AND PREVENT FRAYING AT CUT EDGES, CONTAINING CALCUIM CARBONATE TO PREVENT FLAMING, AND CONTAINING PROPYLENE GLYCOL IN CONJUCTION WITH GLYCERIN TO PRESERVE PLIABILITY ESPECIALLY WHEN SUBJECTED TO INTENSE AND SUDDEN HEAT, AS IN THE CASE OF A BURNING CIGARETTE. 